ESPN "experts" give their predictions

[Roy Hobbs]

NBA Champions:

L.A. Lakers (7 votes)
Boston Celtics (5)
Houston Rockets (2)
New Orleans Hornets (2)
San Antonio Spurs (2)

Atlantic Division Champions

Boston Celtics (18 votes - unanimous)

Eastern Conference Champions:

Boston Celtics (13 votes)
Cleveland Cavaliers (3)
Detroit Pistons (2)

Western Conference Champions:

L.A. Lakers (7 votes)
New Orleans Hornets (4)
Houston Rockets (4)
San Antonio Spurs (2)
Utah Jazz (1)

==========================================================

The rationale of those picking the Lakers?

1. Los Angeles Lakers: 7 votes

Chris Broussard, ESPN Mag: The combination of Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol is just too much.


Ric Bucher, ESPN The Mag: Bynum's finishing at the rim and patrolling the paint changes everything.


Chad Ford, ESPN.com: This is the year Kobe finally will take home an NBA title without Shaq.


Mark Jackson, ESPN: The Celtics lost James Posey, but the Lakers got Bynum back.



Jackie MacMullan, ESPN.com: GM Mitch Kupchak will make another midseason deal to put them over the top.


Chris Palmer, ESPN The Mag: There is still no single player in the league who has a greater drive or desire to win than Kobe Bryant. No way will he get denied two years in a row.

Jalen Rose, ESPN: ---

And those picking the Celts:

Maurice Brooks, ESPN.com: Yes, they'll miss James Posey, but they still play the best D in the league and have three players who aren't afraid to take and make the big shot.

John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Defense will reign for another year.

Tim Legler, ESPN: KG is simply too competitive and driven to become satisfied with one ring. They will miss Posey, but their defense and rebounding will dominate.


Jack Ramsay, ESPN Radio: ---



Chris Sheridan, ESPN.com: On the road this time, in five over the Rockets.

Link.

[jdpapa3]

Chris Palmer, ESPN The Mag: There is still no single player in the league who has a greater drive or desire to win than Kobe Bryant. No way will he get denied two years in a row.

This is just stupid.

And what's up with Jackie MacMullan going over to the dark side?

Looks like some of these clowns didn't learn their lesson from last year.

[muddy02]

Jackie must hang with the Around the Horn guys way too much...

[Lucky17]

Wasn't Legler the only panelist last year to pick the Celtics? I might not be remembering it correctly.

People really seem to think that Bynum is the key to the Lakers chances, but I actually agree with Jackie: Kupchak will need to turn Lamar Odom into some defense and toughness at the deadline for Team Kobe to win it all.

At least the Statsman is on board with a repeat. I could care less what chuckleheads like Chris Palmer and Chris Broussard think.

[nickagneta]

I think I've had my fill of ESPN "experts" and their oh so knowledgeable picks this year. I mean from the Superbowl to the NBA's whole season and then the playoffs to the MLB playoffs, I think their percentage of correct picks are lower than my 13 year old son's picks were.

[spinz]

yeah seriously, look at the picks from espn's 18 analysts for the mlb playoffs: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3619261

Not one picked the phillies to even make it to the world series, nevermind win it.

[jerrykid69]

All these predictions are useless. They will all change when the Celtics are on pace for another 66 wins half way through the season.

[Mean Gerald Green]

yeah seriously, look at the picks from espn's 18 analysts for the mlb playoffs: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3619261

Not one picked the phillies to even make it to the world series, nevermind win it.

That really is horrendous. Keith Law was the only guy to have the Rays going. People were all over the Angels bandwagon for no reason, makes you wonder how much baseball these guys actually watch.

At least 2 of the ESPN 'experts' picked Rondo to be the most improved player.

T-2. Rajon Rondo: 2 votes

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: Went from being a big question mark to a big part of a championship team. That confidence will carry over to this season.

Marc Stein, ESPN.com: What puts Boston over the top in the East? The likes of Perkins, Powe and especially Rondo are going to keep getting better and give Garnett, Pierce and Allen more and more help.

Scoop Jackson also picked Russell Westbrook to win rookie of the year though, not sure how that's going to happen over Oden, Beasley, Rose and Mayo. He'll be a solid player but I just don't see that happening.

Also have to add this, David Thorpe picked Gerald Green to be the most improved player:

T-5. Gerald Green: 1 vote

David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.: Almost out of the league, and now a rotation player in Dallas. The Mavs' offense plays into Green's strengths as a cutter and mid-range shooter.

No one showed the Celtics any love in the MVP vote though: Lebron, CP3, Kobe and Wade were who the 'experts' picked. PP looks like he's in MVP form this season someone should have chosen him.

[RebusRankin]

Does Jackie really think Mitch will get another lopsided mid season deal? Memphis has nothing left.

[Nerf DPOY]

Chris Palmer, ESPN The Mag: There is still no single player in the league who has a greater drive or desire to win than Kobe Bryant. No way will he get denied two years in a row.

This is just stupid.

Yeah, this was the first thing that jumped out at me. Doesn't he mean seven years in a row? I'm not really big on the "drive to win" reasoning anyways.

And in respose to the Mean Gerald Green post quoting David Thorpe's prediction of "G-Money" winning MIP, Thorpe he referred to Green as a cutter. Did he add that to his game since the last time I saw him regularly? I recall his handle being awful+ he wasn't extremely quick from side to side.

[wdleehi]

yeah seriously, look at the picks from espn's 18 analysts for the mlb playoffs: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3619261

Not one picked the phillies to even make it to the world series, nevermind win it.

That really is horrendous. Keith Law was the only guy to have the Rays going. People were all over the Angels bandwagon for no reason, makes you wonder how much baseball these guys actually watch.

At least 2 of the ESPN 'experts' picked Rondo to be the most improved player.

T-2. Rajon Rondo: 2 votes

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: Went from being a big question mark to a big part of a championship team. That confidence will carry over to this season.

Marc Stein, ESPN.com: What puts Boston over the top in the East? The likes of Perkins, Powe and especially Rondo are going to keep getting better and give Garnett, Pierce and Allen more and more help.

Scoop Jackson also picked Russell Westbrook to win rookie of the year though, not sure how that's going to happen over Oden, Beasley, Rose and Mayo. He'll be a solid player but I just don't see that happening.

Also have to add this, David Thorpe picked Gerald Green to be the most improved player:

T-5. Gerald Green: 1 vote

David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.: Almost out of the league, and now a rotation player in Dallas. The Mavs' offense plays into Green's strengths as a cutter and mid-range shooter.

No one showed the Celtics any love in the MVP vote though: Lebron, CP3, Kobe and Wade were who the 'experts' picked. PP looks like he's in MVP form this season someone should have chosen him.

I don't think the Celtics have a good chance to win the MVP.  They share to much so they will not have the gaudy stats.

[celticmaestro]

Ah the "experts" are always so uplifting.

[paintitgreen]

Chris Palmer, ESPN The Mag: There is still no single player in the league who has a greater drive or desire to win than Kobe Bryant. No way will he get denied two years in a row.

This is just stupid.

Yeah, this was the first thing that jumped out at me. Doesn't he mean seven years in a row? I'm not really big on the "drive to win" reasoning anyways.

That was my exact thought when I read that yesterday. TP. And I agree on the "drive to win" thing. If he had a real drive to win, he wouldn't have chased Jackson and Shaq out of town when they had an even better chance to get another ring. There's a difference between drive and ego. And I don't see how you decide Kobe has more drive to win than a guy like KG, or Duncan, or Lebron. And a "single player" as Palmer accurately put it, doesn't win a championship.